Superconducting air core, synchronous electric machines have been under development since the early 1960s. The use of superconducting windings in these machines has resulted in a significant increase in the magneto motive forces generated by the windings and increased flux densities in the machines. These machines operate without iron teeth between the stator coils since the flux density would result in high dissipation in these members. In conventional machines, the coils are surrounded by a laminated stack of iron that acts as a flux path. The laminated stack includes teeth that extend between the coils to provide a flux path and to support the coils. In a superconducting machine a system is required for supporting large loads on the coils that does not have high losses in a large alternating current field.